Hibbert and Martin Split Pro Open Wins at BRRP Snocross

Polaris‘ Ross Martin returned from injury to his most successful weekend of the 2014 AMSOIL Championship Snocross series at the U.S. Air Force Snocross at Buffalo River Race Park. Martin finished second to series leader Tucker Hibbert on Friday and fought his way to a win on Saturday.

Qualifying in first place and scoring the No. 1 gate pick, Hibbert (Monster Energy/Arctic Cat) started in the middle of the front row on Friday night – selecting the shortest distance to the Stud Boy Holeshot line. A risky move given the proximity of the rest of the field on the season’s longest and fastest start to date, Hibbert was quick off the draw and his Arctic Cat sled responded – launching him out to an early lead that he’d never give up.

“It was a good race for sure,” says Hibbert to the cheers of the locals. “The track was different, different than it’s been in the past. But it’s fun to change it up, like we’ve been doing each week. I’m pumped to do well here so close to home, and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.”

Tucker Hibbert grabbed the holeshot in Friday’s Pro Open final and never looked back.

The sentimental favorite at BRRP tonight had to be Martin (DuPont/Jack Links/Polaris). The Wisconsin-based racer had been on the sidelines for the last several races with an injured shoulder, but rallied back to qualify in fourth place and raced to a second-place finish in the final.

“Second place tonight feels like a win right now,” says Martin. “There’s always a little doubt, but it feels great to be up here and I’m looking forward to racing at Lake Geneva (Wis.) next weekend.”

With Hibbert up front early thanks to a couple blistering laps (2 & 3), Arctic Cat’s Cody Thomsen and LaVallee Racing/Polaris’ Kyle Pallin put on an excellent show for the third and final podium spot early – a battle eventually won by Thomsen, who’d hold on to the third and final podium spot.

Martin completed his injury comeback with a win on Saturday night. “The Boss is back!,” bellowed longtime ISOC race announcer Mike Schroeder as Martin (aka “Ross the Boss”) pumped his fist over the finish line jump.

Rewinding back to the all-important start of the Pro Open race, Martin chose to start more on the outside line to the Stud Boy Holeshot. The move paid off as, when it looked like Hibbert had the angle on being the first racer out of the opening corner, the defending champ was clipped in the rear of the sled by Kody Kamm (Hentges Racing/Polaris) – at peak speed – which caused a chain reaction crash that also collected Kyle Pallin (LaVallee Racing/Polaris) and Hentges Racing/Polaris’ Justin Broberg.

Ross Martin managed to avoid the carnage at the start of Saturday’s Pro Open final and cruised to victory.

“I could clearly see what was going to happen (at the start), so I just ducked under and made it through,” says. “This is going to go down as one of my best wins of all-time.”

Martin rode strong, fast and mistake-free to the 7.5 second victory over second place, local Logan Christian (Christian Brothers Racing/Arctic Cat).

“These are the highs and lows of racing,” says Martin. “I didn’t even know if I was going to race today. My shoulder’s killing me, but I just said to myself ‘I’ve got to get this done.’”

After the mess at the start, Hibbert was able to remount – in dead last place – and mount a bit of a charge. His effort would run into another issue when he and fellow Arctic Cat pilot Cody Thomsen got together (lap four), sending Hibbert off his sled for the second time. To his credit Hibbert was able to remount and rode a solid remainder of the race, inheriting a top-five finish when Scheuring Speed Sports/Ski-Doo’s Lincoln Lemieux (third place at the time) crashed while battle for the final podium spot with Christian Brothers Racing’s David Joanis (Royal Distribution/Arctic Cat). Thomsen would round out the podium in third with a great race and his second podium of the weekend, with Joanis in fourth and Hibbert in fifth.

Hibbert still maintains a pretty much insurmountable lead in the Pro Open points chase, 594-474 over Kamm.

Pro Lite

Wrestling the lead from holeshot winner James Johnstad (Judnick Motorsports/Polaris) on the opening lap, Corin Todd (Leighton Motorsports/Polaris) clicked off a Pro Open-worthy 42.9-second lap (on lap two) and opened up a lead he’d never relinquish.

“You get a second or third place start, put yourself in good position because I knew I had to make my move early,” says Todd. “It’s easier that way, at the start of the race, because we’re all grouped close together.”

Corin Todd fought by James Johnstad for the lead on the opening lap in Friday’s Pro Lite final – a lead he would never relinquish.

With the win Todd overcame an eight-point deficit heading into Friday’s Pro Lite final to Andrew Carlson (Carlson Motorsports/Polaris). He ended the race hoding a one-point lead over Carlson, 473-472.

Qualifying first and placing second in Friday’s Pro Lite final was Team LaVallee/Polaris’ Andrew Lieders. Lieders rode a solid race, keeping pace with Todd – but unable to mount any sort of serious chase on the first place position in the 11-lap contest.

Johnstad would remain up front, about equal distance back for Lieders (that Lieders was to Todd, roughly two seconds). And passing Carlson late in the contest for fourth place – and thus insuring the point lead for Todd – was John Stenberg (Team Bauerly/Ski-Doo). Carlson would round out the top five.

All systems were ‘Go’ for Carlson to open Saturday’s Pro Lite final at Buffalo River Race Park. He pulled the holeshot and was leading when disaster struck and he dropped from first to ninth.

Taking advantage of the situation was Todd, who got into Carlson in the third corner of the first lap.

“The point race was tight and I got together with Andrew (Carlson) and, unfortunately, he came off the sled,” says Todd. “But I came in here this weekend having to take over the points lead and I did.” After Fargo Todd leads Carlson now by ten points, 517-507 with one weekend of racing remaining.

Todd heads into the final weekend of racing with a 10-point lead in the Pro Lite standings.

Following the Todd/Carson get together – which could very well have played a major role in deciding this year’s Pro Lite championship – Todd got a quick challenge from John Stenberg (Team Bauerly/Ski-Doo), who actually took the race lead from Todd on lap two – but crashed just moments after grabbing the lead.

Opening the third lap up front, Todd never looked back. With Stenberg down, moving into second place was Johnstad. Both Todd and Johnstad separated from the pack, with Travis Muller (Warnert Racing/Ski-Doo) diving into third place.

Todd would check out midway through the race, while Carlson did the best he could to move up from ninth to sixth place.